In the Air Tonight - Ashes to Ashes 2019
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: Alex and Sam are certain they are right. Gene isn't so sure. Is it a case of wishful thinking on his part or is a corrupt copper out to put an end to Fenchurch CID once and for all? Based on the series 2 episode but set in present day
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer I don't own Ashes to Ashes or Life on Mars. BBC and Kudos own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. **

**a/n rewatching series 2 of Ashes to Ashes, made me want to write fic for this show again. I dunno is anyone is reading these stories these days so I'd appreciate a review.**

**1\. In the Air tonight**

Gene walked along the corridors of Fenchurch East deep in thought. He did not like the way the case had been progressing. An arrest had always been on the cards, the fact that one of their own had been killed and another arrested had got under his skin. The idea that a copper could turn the way Kevin Hales, the way it had turned out that their boss had turned on them too was almost too much to take in. The idea of a copper like SuperMac climbing the ranks without anyone noticing he was corrupt made him feel sick. He shook his head as Sam appeared from one of the interview rooms.

"You know Alex is right." Sam fell into step beside him. Gene grunted. He knew his wife, like Sam was fluent in psychobabble. He didn't want either of them to be right about their boss. Rather than answer, he grunted once. "It all adds up."

"Yes, well I wish it didn't."

"Guv."

"Tell me." He stopped in his tracks as Sam turned to him. "How many corrupt coppers av you nicked?" He rocked back on his heels as Sam raised an eyebrow. "Thought as much." He turned and stormed along the corridor as Sam shook his head before following him.

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Alex walked into the lane behind the Soho nightclub. The informant had been insistant that she meet her here. The alley way suddenly seemed a little claustrophobic. A little too creepy. She took a deep breath wondering if she should call the station, let one of the team know where she was. Biting her bottom lip she knew Gene was going to be angry with her for going off on her own. She checked her watch, knowing that Shaz was the one most likely to be at the station she reached for her mobile phone. A moment later a hand covered her mouth as she was dragged out of the alleyway into the dark building behind her. She kicked out, trying to fight the man who had grabbed her. The world begun to spin as she tried to keep focus. Her hand reached for the radio she carried as a single gunshot filled the air.

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A/N Please review


	2. Chapter 2

**_2\. Do you really want to hurt me?_**

Gene marched towards the CID office knowing that the team would be working on the latest case. A young woman had been murdered in the alleyway behind one of the less notorious strip clubs in Soho. He knew Alex was meeting an informant - he just hoped she was going to be able to find something new. They desperately needed a break in the case, he was just worried that he was going to have to be the one to take down SuperMac. While he was sure that he would be able to do it, the idea that a man who had been his senior officer longer than he cared to remember - a highly respected copper who had accolades for bravery was on the take made him feel sick. He knew it would probably break not only his career but Gene's and the team too. He didn't care about his own but his team was too good to let SuperMac destroy it. There had to be a way to bring down the corrupt officer without destroying Fenchurch East CID.

"Guv."

He walked into the office as Chris and Ray were preparing to leave. Ray looked fed up.

"Where are you two off to?"

"Guv, seems that the dead girl had a friend in the club who might have seen the gunman."

"Sally." Gene snapped. "Her name was Sally. Ray, take Annie with you."

"But." Chris looked aghast.

"Bit of sensitivity. I know you Ray. You have all the sensitivity of a steamroller." Gene snapped. Annie grabbed her purse and warrant card as Ray shrugged his shoulders.

"Call a spade a spade."

"Only you don't Ray." Shaz joined in. "You call a spade a shovel. No sweetening the pill. Chris is the same. Annie will be able to calm any witnesses down."

"I." Chris pulled a face.

"She has a point." Ray shrugged before leading Annie out of the room. Gene headed towards his office as Sam began briefing Chris and Shaz on what they had learned so far. Moments later Gene emerged from the room.

"Ethel! Get yer coat."

"Guv?" Sam turned to him.

"I wanna go back to the strip club."

"Bet you do." Shaz mumbled as Chris smirked. Sam shot them a glance before grabbing his leather jacket to follow his friend.

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Alex felt sick. She knew no one had any idea where she was or what was happening. The gloom made her vision difficult and the headache felt as if she had a brass band in her skull. Breathing heavily she tried not to panic. A figure gloomed over her as she began to focus.

"Alex."

"What are you doing?" She hissed, realising she was unable to see the man staring at her. The shadows and the surgical mask he was wearing hid him too well. She pulled on her restraints as he stepped nearer to her.

"You are going to die here."

"I don't think so." Alex frowned. She recognised the voice. The inflection was familiar but in her drugged brain she was unable to place it. "I'm going home."

"Call Gene." He held the mobile phone next to her.

"No."

"Call him."

"No."

"Fine. Ok." The mobile was thrown on the stone floor before it was stamped on. A police radio was then placed next to her. "Its on. State your name and rank before I kill you. Go on, Alexandra."

She felt the scalpel at her neck she swallowed hard. "Alexandra Hunt. Detective Inspector, Fenchurch East CID."

"BOLLS!" The radio crackled into life as Gene could be heard yelling her nickname. "BOLLS! WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Gene?" She whispered, realising the radio was a real police radio and that it was on.

"ALEX?" Annie's voice was the next she heard. "Where are you?"

"Answer her." Her captor laughed.

"I don't know where I am."

"Any last words?" The man in the surgical mask asked. Alex felt sick, knowing that there was probably no chance she was going to be found in time. She nodded once. "Go on there."

"I know who killed Sally." She stated firmly. "I know I'm right below where it happened."

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"Thank you Bolls." Gene stated as his car skidded around the corner in fifth gear. He was seconds away from her, slamming the breaks on he and Sam both ran from the car towards the lane where Sally had died in Gene's arms. The cellar entrance was just a few inches away.

"Door has been tampered with." Sam came to a halt, opening it quickly he and Gene barrelled towards the storage area below the nightclub. The clattering of metal on concrete caught their attention as the abductor ran in the opposite direction. Sam followed as Gene headed towards Alex. His eyes scanned her body before untying her and swearing profusely.

"Gene."

"You ok? Nurse Rachet do anything?"

"Apart from kidnap me and threaten to kill me?" She closed her eyes, breathing heavily. Gene nodded. "I'm ok."

"You said you know who shot Sally."

Alex nodded as she realised Gene was shaking. She stood up. "I lied. A bit. I think I know but not for certain." She paused. Gene sighed before stepping closer. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She bit her lip as he tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. He seemed satisfied that she was relatively uninjured before pulling her into his arms. Alex closed her eyes, breathing him in as he held her. He kissed her temple before whispering in her ear.

"You was right about SuperMac."

She shook her head as he pulled back. "I didn't want to be."

"Question is, what the Hell do we do now? Internal Affairs wont touch him. We."

"Keep quiet until we have the proof." She turned to see Sam walk back into the celler.

"You got the nerk?"

"No." Sam shrugged. "Jumped in a bloody car at the end of the alleyway. Got the number, Shaz is putting through the system now. Looks like someone really wants to distract us." He headed towards the pair. "Someone really doesn't want us to know how Mac is linked to all this."

"Yeah well, we gonna disappoint them." Gene looked from Alex to Sam. "This stays between us. I know Shaz and the others can be trusted but I don't want them dragged through the mud if all this goes tits up. You pair, me and Annie. We keep Shaz and the lads in the dark for now."

"We need them on side. Don't alienate them." Alex rubbed at her neck, aching as she tried to move. Gene shrugged.

"Rather them pissed off at me than dead."

"Gene."

"It could go that far Bolls. If Mac is dirty. If he paid to have a copper kill another and a young girl got caught in the middle then e aint gonna be too bothered about getting rid of us." Gene ran a hand over his face.

"Maybe not." Sam led them out of the cellar. "But think about it, if we exclude them and something goes down we need back up. Chris isn't as dim as he looks. Ray and Shaz are good at what they do. We might need them on this."

"He's right." Alex felt Gene's hand on the small of her back. "I."

"Ok, Luigi's tonight. All of us. If we are doing this we are doing it right."

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A/N please review


	3. Chapter 3

**Luigi's**

Gene sat nursing a pint of lager as he wished he was at home, or anywhere than where he was at that moment. He knew Ray and the others were beginning to suspect that there was something going on. He sipped his drink as Alex perched herself on the stool next to him. Her white wine untouched in front of her.

"Are you alright?"

"Luv, I'm the Gene Genie. Course I'm alright." He watched as she raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, Bolls. I should be asking you that. It weren't me who had God only knows what injected into em. You sure you're ok?"

She smiled, knowing that Gene would always worry about her and the children. He spent most of his life worrying about them and the team, but she knew he would be the last person to admit it. She nodded.

"I am fine. Honestly." She lifted her wine glass as Chris and Shaz arrived. The young couple appeared just as relaxed as always, whereas Ray was clearly upset.

"Where's Annie and Sam?"

"They'll be ere." Gene avoided the question. "Are you gonna stay Raymondo or are you hovering around like some spectre for a reason?"

"Maya is at her Mam's with the baby." He sat down.

"Trouble in Paradise?"

"No. it's her Mam's birthday. She's gone up to Manchester for the weekend. No problems." He looked at his friends. "But I am beginning to think there are problems we aint being told about." He looked directly at Alex. "Yeah?"

"Yes." She sipped her wine. "And I think we should wait for Annie and Sam. So its not repeated more than once."

"She's right." Gene huffed.

"I don't like this." Shaz frowned. "I don't like this at all."

"No, Luv." Gene nodded. "Neither do I and when you find out what it is, none of you will like it either."

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Sam closed the car door, glad that Phyllis had agreed to look after little Danny and Gene and Alex's three children until the next morning. He smiled slightly, picturing the look on Molly's face when she was told that she was having a babysitter. The fifteen year old would have been mortified at the idea of it. Annie raised an eyebrow.

"Just thinking." He started the car engine as she pulled her seatbelt on. She nodded once, aware that when Sam was in one of his quiet moods there was little that could be done to change it. He would tell her his thoughts when he was ready. Until then it was best to leave him be. She closed her eyes for a moment, knowing that her husband, boss and best friend had been worried about something other than Sally's murder or the murder of a police officer in Soho's more seedier strip clubs. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Speaking to that poor girl's parents was hard. I hate that part of the job."

"It is the worst bit." Sam agreed.

"Her dad just shook his head and her mam screamed like a wounded animal. All I could think of was that is how I would react in her shoes."

"You wont be."

"You don't know that. Danny is three now." She paused. "The world we live in. Its just so cruel." She sighed. "I don't think its going to get any better."

"Depressing thought." He turned the car into the street opposite the Italian restaurant. Annie shrugged. "True, but these days you can't even trust colleagues. Can you?"

"Annie."

"I know Mac is dirty. I've thought so for a while. Its what you and Alex have been so worried about."

"Yeah." Sam admitted. "Yeah, it is. How? We don't have evidence. Well not enough." He parked the car as Annie undid her seatbelt.

"Well. I have."

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A/N anyone reading? Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

**In the air. tonight.**

Gene relaxed against the pillow deep in thought. He had no idea how he was going to get any sleep. The nightmare of Sally's murder had opened up a can of worms that was only going to fester. He sighed as Alex joined him in the bedroom, climbing in as he turned on his side to face her.

"New togs, Bolls."

"New nightdress. Yes. Told you I went shopping."

"Yeah." He paused before swearing. "Our anniversary isn't"

"Until next month." She smiled slightly as his eye filled with relief. "Its not our wedding anniversary until next week. I just liked the nightdress, that's all." He raised an eyebrow, clearly appreciating the cotton top that barely covered her. She smiled, glad that after three children, a brain injury and numerous nightmares her husband still seemed to find her attractive. She watched him for a moment. "Are you alright? Gene?"

"Always."

"No." She rested a hand on his chest. "No, don't. Not here. Not with me." She watched as he ran his eyes over her body. "We are not in work now."

"I should think not." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "With you looking like that. Ray would av heart attack and I would be kicking most of Murder Squad out the door!"

"Gene, its the 21st century. Women can dress how they like."

"Yeah, I know that Bolls. Don't mean I am going to like other men seeing how bloody gorgeous you are." His voice was low as he pulled her to him. She kissed him gently as his hands held her to him. Breaking for oxygen she rested her forehead against his.

"Gene."

"Its going to get dangerous. I don't know ow this is going to pan out but I don't want good coppers like you and the team aving their names dragged through the mud." He brushed her hair away from her face as she raised her eyebrows.

"No."

"Alex."

"You are not doing this on your own. Annie."

"Has good, solid evidence. You know what they say." He paused. "Cameras never lie."

"Yes but."

"Alex, this is going to get ugly. Stinking, dirty ugly. I can andle me being done over. I am not putting you, Sam and the others in the firing line. No way." His voice was low, deadly serious. Alex held his gaze for a moment before moving away from him and leaving the bed. He stayed where he was, watching her as she began to pace the bedroom. He was glad the children were still with Phyllis. He had no idea how any of them would still be asleep if they had been there to witness the full extent of his wife's temper.

"I am in the firing line." She snapped. "Annie, Sam, Ray, Shaz, Chris are in the firing line. AND DO YOU KNOW WHY?!"

"BOLLS!"

"ANSWER ME GENE!"

He got out of bed, glaring at her as he crossed the room to her. "We all have families. I wont have them put at risk. I can't risk Molly and the other kids getting hurt. These scum killed Sally. She's what? Five years older than our girl? I can't risk it." His voice was low as tears filled Alex's eyes. "Its not about me. Its not about how good a team we are, how bloody good we are at our jobs. I know EXACTLY ow sodding good we are!"

Alex stepped towards him. "Gene."

"I can't risk that." He paused.

"Ever thought about how we can't risk losing you?" She bit her lip as tears threatened to fall. She suddenly understood why he was behaving the way he was. The Manc Lion, the Gene Genie was an act that he needed to keep up to do his job, to keep them all safe. He kissed her gently as her arms reached up to wrap around him, her hands tangling in the slightly too long for police regulation haircut as his hands held her to him. He broke the kiss, his lips finding the soft skin behind her ear as she sighed.

"Can't lose you, Alex." He whispered as she pulled back to look in his eyes.

"Then don't." She whispered. "I'm safest with you. We all are. Don't push me away." She blinked as he nodded once before kissing her passionately, as if it could be the last time.

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	5. Chapter 5

End?

Chris headed into the CID office feeling uneasy. He knew Ray, Sam, Alex and the Guv would've made sure they had as much evidence as they could before telling them Super Mac was dirty. The man was a legend in the force. To think he had been corrupt made Chris feel physically sick.

"You ok?" Shaz looked concerned as he nodded once.

"Listen you two. We av to keep things together. You know that Mac could shut us down, close the unit. He could get us kicked out the force, could even set us up. You want to end up in prison or dead? Because for one I don't want that." Ray leant over the desk as he spoke. "Now the Guv needs us to back him on this. Not to let him down because if you think we are the ones going to land on shit if this goes wrong it is nowt to what Gene, Alex and Sam are going to face."

"He's right." Annie placed a mug of tea on the desk in front of Ray. "A girl is already dead."

"I don't like this." Chris frowned. "We are supposed to be the good guys. It's supposed to be straight forward. We." He pointed at himself. "Are the good guys. Crooks are bad guys."

"If it was only that easy." Annie squeezed his shoulder as Sam joined them.

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"Gene." Alex clicked her seatbelt off as he pulled the car to a stop. The rain lashed down on the small red Audi as he started the engine again.

"Stay put."

"Gene." Alex did as she was told, possibly for the first time since she had met her husband. He roared the car away as Alex looked in the wing mirror.

"We have been followed since we dropped the kids off." Gene explained as he pushed his foot to the accelerator. Alex but her lip as Gene swung the car onto the Fenchurch bypass.

"Who is it?"

"No idea." Gene tried to keep the worry out of his voice before swinging the car into the outside lane. Alex picked out her mobile from her jean pocket. Before she could ring Annie to warn the team the car was spinning out of control before coming to a sickening thudding stop on its roof. Tyres squealed in the background as steam escaped from the wreckage of the Audi.

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Annie turned sharply as her phone vibrated on her desk. Sam shrugged his leather jacket off as he watched his wife collect the phone before it stopped ringing.

"Alex hung up."

"Call her back. It's not like Gene or her to be late in." Ray frowned,. "Something has happened. I can feel it." Annie raised an eyebrow as she did as Ray asked.

"It's going to answer phone." Annie took a deep breath. "Sam, try the Guv."

Sam nodded as Shaz tried to stop herself panicking. "Ma'am' would have called in if she was going to be late. I'll go to the front desk. See if Viv has heard anything."

"No answer." Sam glared, "I don't like this. Ray?" He picked up his jacket and car keys. "Annie, you stay here. Look after Shaz and Chris. Call me if they show up."

"Be careful." Annie closed her eyes as he kissed her cheek before leaving the office with Ray in tow. She sighed heavily, knowing something was very, very wrong.

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	6. Chapter 6

Pay

The walk to the car was mostly in silence as Ray tried to put his concerns aside and think logically. He knew Gene and Alex could take care of themselves. Both were excellent at their jobs but he had no idea what Supermac was capable of. He felt physically sick at the thought of any police officer being corrupt but the evidence was there in front of him and any other officer who cared to look. One young woman was already dead. He just hoped the death toll didn't get any higher.

"Sam?"

"Yeah." Ray got to the passenger's side of the car.

"Do you think there really is a problem?" Ray asked as Sam nodded.

"Alex is never late. The last time she was late Layton had attacked her."

"And Gene practically lived in the office before he met Alex." Ray pulled his seatbelt on. He knew his friends were not the sort to just not turn up to work. Something had happened. He could feel it in his gut. He just hoped that this time his gut instinct was wrong.

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Shaz walked back into the CID office feeling dejected. She had no idea what to do next. The Guv and Ma'am were the ones who always seemed to know what was going on. This time she just knew they were in danger. Everything they had learned since the Soho murder just seemed to compound the idea that there was police corruption at the highest level.

"Anything?" Chris asked.

"No." Shaz bit her lip. "No, Viv said he hasn't spoken to either of them since yesterday."

"Well." Annie walked back in from the kitchenette. "Molly and the others arrived at school and nursery so we know they are safe. I spoke to the headmistress at Ruby's primary school. Explained I will be collecting Ruby at the end of the day and then I'll collect Max. Molly is going home with Wes and Nick."

"The Three Amigos." Chris smiled. "Its nice she's got good friends."

"Yeah." Annie smiled. "It is."

"No one has any idea where her parents are though. I called Ma'am's mobile and the Guv. No answer." Shaz looked as though she may burst into tears. Chris got up from his seat to give her a hug as Annie headed towards her computer. She had an idea, she just didn't know how she was going to make it work. Shaz pulled out of Chris' arms before sighing heavily and heading back to her own desk.

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The first thing Alex realised was how sick she felt. Her head hurt and there was a very strong smell of petrol filled the air. Then the fact she was strapped into a now burning car. Forcing the nausea away from her mind she turned to see Gene unconscious and bleeding next to her.

"Gene?" she scram to get her seatbelt off as she called her husband again. Gene looked dead. "Please Gene! Come on!" she freed herself from her seatbelt before trying to drag Gene through the smashed windscreen. She gasped as the muscles in het back protested at dragging the much larger man away from the burning Audi. Alex swore as the man in her arms failed to respond. The heat of the burning car blistered her skin as she dragged Gene as far from the car as she could.

"Gene." she held him in her arms, shaking as the car blew up sending fumes and debris for hundreds of feet. Alex kissed Gene's forehead, relieved that he was at least breathing on his own. "Don't leave me, Gene. Not like this!" She sobbed. Not realising Ray and Sam had arrived. Ray put his jacket around her shoulders before gently making sure she was out of the way of the paramedics and fire service who had arrived.

"Alex." Ray spoke gently, "Let the paramedics do their job. Yeah? Cmon." He helped her to her feet, aware she was shaking. "Lets get you checked out. Sam will stay with the Guv. Gene will kill me if you don't get that head wound seen too."

"He did this." Sam and Gene exchanged glances. "Supermac. He is going to pay for this. I promise you Ray. He's going to pay."

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	7. Chapter 7

**_Payment_**

Gene lay on the ambulance trolley pale and still as a paramedic sited IV lines and fixed monitors to him. He had a vague awareness that something had happened. That he was hurt but he didnt really have the ability to concentrate. He could hear a female voice in the distance. It was defiantely familiar. And angry. He tried to focus on the voice, ignoring the haziness and pain that engulfed him. It was there, in the periphery of his mind but he couldn't catch it. The voice seemed to slip away as the pain took hold.

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Alex closed her eyes as she leant against the grey chipped wall as Ray stood next to her, picking at the paint that was coming away.

"You sure the Doc said you are ok?"

"Physically, yes." Alex stated firmly. "I will live to fight another day."

Ray smiled. "I don't doubt it. Alex, you have had brain surgery. You need to be careful."

"We didnt get run off the road by choice." She snapped as Sam joined them carrying disposable coffee cups.

"Here."

"Thanks." Ray took the drink as Sam ushered them to some seats in the far end of the waiting room. He knew Alex was angry but she was also clearly still in shock.

"Molly and the little ones are with Phyllis for the night. They are fine. Molly knows you and Gene were in a car accident but that you are ok."

Alex nodded. "Good. Ok." She bit her lip as she tried not to think of her husband laying in the Resus Bay fighting to survive. She knew what being in a coma was like, it still gave her nightmares. There was no way she would wish that on her worst enemy never mind the man she loved. She looked over to the corner of the room where a young woman was trying to stay awake next to her equally drunk friend.

"Supermac knows we are on to him." Alex turned to look Sam in the eye. "He killed Sally. He had her murdered. You will never see blood on his hands. But he did it. And he had us run off the road. If Gene." She looked at her feet for a moment until she was sure she wasn't going to become too emotional. "If Gene doesn't wake up after this. If he is left disabled or." She stopped. "I wont stop. Not until those responsible are rotting in a cell somewhere."

"You and me both." Ray stated firmly. "I wanted you and the Guv to be wrong. I wanted this to be a load of bollocks but he's as guilty as sin. But there has to be CCTV. We have to be able to see the car that was chasing you, Get as number plate."

"It'll be a start." Sam agreed. "I'll call Annie." He squeezed Alex's hand as she looked over to the doors to the main A&E department. He knew what it was like to wait for news of a loved one and he knew she was right to be angry but somehow he was more worried about Alex than he was about Gene.

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	8. Chapter 8

Deadlier than the male?

Shaz put her smart phone in her pocket, knowing the device was one thing that could be used against her if the wrong people found it. Since Ray had phoned, talking to Annie she no longer really knew who the wrong people were. She wanted to believe that all police officers were there for the best of reasons. The idea that some were as bad as, if not worse than the criminals that they arrested almost daily made her feel sick. The knowledge that one of the most senior police officers she had known was corrupt, had been involved in the murder of a young woman, the apparent suicide of a police officer and Gene and Alex being attacked was more than she could stomach. She looked up as a mug of hot tea was put on the desk in front of her.

"You have been looking at that footage for over an hour. My Mam would have said you'd get square eyes." Annie smiled as Shaz sighed heavily.

"There has to be something there. The Guv and Ma'am were followed. Forced off the road."

"Yes." Annie agreed. "But working yourself to death is not helping anyone. You need to take a break."

Shaz picked up the mug. "Nah, not when Alex and Gene can't take a break. It has to be here. I know it. Somewhere in Fenchurch a speed camera or a CCTV camera has to have picked them up. It's like the Guv's car never existed. You know? There's a camera on their street. If you look at it then its like there is nothing there. Even the car parked out side their house is the wrong car. Not the Audi."

Annie frowned. She knew it was almost impossible to see how a car could vanish into thin air in the 21st century. "It has to be. Gene and Alex were there. A car doesn't vanish."

"It does." The women looked over to where Sam had walked into the office. "If the camera footage is doctored."

"For this amount of space?"

"That's a lot of cameras." Annie folded her arms over her chest. "You know how long it would take to do that?"

"Not long." Chris rubbed his eyes. "Not if one or more were turned off. Computer footage is easy to play around with. You just alter the car registration on one still then upload it and you make sure then that the colour and spec of the car looks different." He shrugged.

"So, I have wasted all this time looking for a car that doesn't exist. Fantastic." Shaz pushed her chair away from the desk before storming out of the office. Sam and Annie exchanged worried glances as Chris shook his head.

"She is taking this hard. Really hard. You know how much she loves this team." Chris explained his wife's behaviour. "

"We all are." Sam sighed. "Go after her. Look after her."

Chris paused, unsure whether Shaz would appreciate him following her. A moment later he was out the door as Annie finally turned to her husband.

"Shaz is taking this hard."

"Like I said. We all are." He looked at his feet as Annie stepped towards him. She knew he and Gene had been best friends for years, despite barely agreeing on anything and constantly bickering. They were as close as any brothers she had ever known. Taking another step towards him she touched his face, giving him no option but to look at her.

"Sam."

"I hate this."

"I know." She pulled him into her arms. "I know." Sam buried his face in her neck as she held him close. She screwed her eyes shut, determined not to cry when she knew her tears wouldn't help anyone. Gene and the other victims needed them to be able to shut down their own emotions and get the job done. Pulling back she kissed Sam's forehead gently as his eyes remained closed. "We find the evidence we need and we let the CPS do the rest. But I don't think we are safe here." She took his hand as she stepped back just as the door to CID opened.

"Ah, DI Tyler, DS Tyler."

"Sir." Annie could barely keep the venom out of her voice as Supermac stood in front of them. "What do we owe this pleasure DSI Mackintosh?"

"Just wanted to see how the CID were coping with two of your senior officers out of action."

"Gene is doing well." Sam stated. "And Alex is taking some of her annual leave to be with him. We have two active murder investigations ongoing at the moment. So, we are busy."

"Is that why there are no officers here?" Mac looked around the mostly empty CID room. "And you two love birds were just what? Taking a break. Did you say two murders? I thought one had been deemed suicide by autoerotic asphyxiation? The other a girl caught in the cross fire of London gangland life. Sad but it happens.2

"Sally deserve justice." Sam stated vehemently. "So does Shaun. He was a good_, honest_ copper."

"And we are leaving to view some evidence in Sally's murder case." Annie narrowed her eyes before leaving the room with Sam close behind her. Head held up high, Annie knew in that moment she was going to do whatever it took to make sure Supermac and his friends were going to pay for what they had done.

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	9. Chapter 9

Anger?

Shaz knew that being angry probably wasn't going to do any of them any good but she couldn't help it. She had always thought of Annie and Sam as the sensible ones on the team, but now that Gene and Alex had been attacked she wasn't so sure she was going to be able to think of them as the voice of reason. Which left Ray, Chris and her to hold everything together. Sighing as she rested her head on one hand she tried to organise her thoughts and calm herself. Ray was solid, a bit old fashioned but a good copper. She trusted him implicitly and always had. Chris was gorgeous as far as she was concerned but he had always been a little bit easily led. She loved her husband but knew he was not the generally the sort of man who coped well with the pressure they were under. She was worried about him, just as much as she was worried about the rest of her team.

"Shaz?"

She turned, lifting her head slightly.

"Yeah?" She waited.

Chris remained silent, sitting next to her. Shaz sighed.

"We find out who it was that was following the Guv and Ma'am and I'd bet the flat we find the man who murdered Sally."

"You really think that?"

"Yes." She stood up. "I do. Look at the evidence Chris."

She began pacing as she Phyllis joined the couple. The older woman watched for a moment.

"Trouble in Paradise?"

"Not now." Chris snapped.

"When then?" Shaz snapped. "Yes Phyllis. The Guv is in 'ospital. In Intensive Care for all we know! Ma'am is injured. Annie and Sam are putting themselves in the firing line. A girl is dead and a copper was killed. Yeah, I'd say we got trouble. Especially when this one doesn't see."

"Right." Phyllis nodded as she looked from one angry copper to the other. "This is not the time nor the place for this. You both believe all this happened when young Sally was murdered. Yeah?"

"Yeah." Ray put his mobile phone in his pocket as he sat on the low wall where Chris just looked lost. "That's when it became obvious. That girl was shot and died in the Guv's arms. They killed her in cold blood. Because she was trying to tell us something. You know, she only came to London to try to make a better life for herself? Wanted to be an actress. Begged the Guv not to tell her parents she was working in a strip club." He shook his head. "They knew, Mac and his mates. They knew she was a witness. That she had information and was going to tell us what was going on."

"So." The Custody Sergeant took a sip of her takeaway tea. "Find out what our girl knew. Go back to the start. Work the case from the root up. Its what Gene would do. Back in Manchester, when he was a young copper. I knew 'im then. He was bloody good but so are you. You don't need to be told what to do. Mind your arses but follow the evidence and for God sake, look after each other. Do what you are trained to do. Truth will come out." She tapped Chris on the back. "Remember what Gene says. Copper's instinct."

"Yeah." Shaz smiled. "Yeah."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Annie sat in her car watching the men outside the Strip Club. She knew Mac was dirty. She knew he was to blame for her friends being attacked and she knew in her gut he was behind Sally's murder and the death of a copper she had known well. Clutching the steering wheel she knew she was risking everything. Supermac would know her and Sam suspected him. She hoped he hadn't realised the rest of the team were aware of her concerns.

"Annie?" She kept her eyes on the scene in front of her.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah." She smiled slightly as Sam rested a hand on her arm. He could feel the tension in her muscles. "I will be. He's dangerous Sam. If he can do this to Gene and just walk around like nothing has happened. Kill a young girl and ruin the reputation on a copper then what else can he do?"

Sam fell silent. He didn't want to think what the older officer was capable of. He just knew that somehow they had to stop him. He just didn't know how.


	10. Chapter 10

Alive

Gene felt sick. He had no idea what was happening or where he was. There was a voice in the distance but he couldn't really make out what was being said. Something deep in his memory told him he had to listen to the voice, fight to understand it. There was no way he was going to fall into the coma he was so phobic of. He knew Alex and Sam had fought them, fought to come back but he had no idea if he was strong enough.

"I'm here, Gene." A hand touched his forearm. "I'm here. We are going to beat this. Just keep thinking of Max and our girls. Of us" Alex sniffed she spoke. Gene's monitor bleeped, his heart rate increasing for a moment. "Gene? I'm here. Ray and the others are going after him. We will stop him. We will." Somewhere in the back of his mind Gene smiled. Bolly was with him. With her there he really could fight.

Xxxxxx

Annie paced the living room as Sam handed Ray a mug of coffee. The DS took it gratefully as Sam sat in the armchair near the sofa.

"Mollie called."

"She ok?" Annie suddenly stopped pacing. Ray nodded.

"Yeah. She wanted to know what was going on. I told her I would take her up the hospital later. Phyllis is going to mind the little ones." He sipped his drink. "This is a bloody mess."

"I don't understand any of this." Chris paused. "I get why the Guv was targeted. And Alex but."

"But what?" Shaz looked at the paper on her lap.

"Supermac has more commendations than any officer in the Met. How does that happen if you're a bent copper?" Chris looked genuinely upset. "One of ours."

"I know." Annie sat down. "And he knows we suspect him."

"So?" Ray snapped. "We wait for him to kill us? To get someone else to do his dirty work. Like he did with Sally?"

"No." Sam sighed. "We go after him. Annie and I followed him to his club." He looked up at his wife. "We don't have much to go on. We know he's behind this but without evidence we have nothing."

"So how do we get the evidence we need?" Chris felt like crying. Shaz squeezed his hand as she looked at her friends.

"I might have it. Not sure it's ok for court though."

"Shaz?" Annie turned to the younger woman.

"I have his diary. Well, print outs."

"Shaz." Ray smiled. "You are fantastic!"

"Might help." She shrugged. "But how?"

"Ray, take Mollie to see her parents. I'm going to call in a few favours." Sam grabbed his jacket as Annie got to her feet. Before she could stop him he was gone.

Xxxx


	11. Chapter 11

Molly

The ride to the hospital was in almost silence. Molly Hunt was more like her mother than Ray had ever noticed. He knew she was tough, the poor kid had no other option over the years but he had no idea how she was going to process what was happening. Gene was her dad as far as she was concerned. He had never thought the bear of man he had worked alongside for years would be a family man but Gene had won over the heart of his step-daughter and the pair were closer than any other biological father and daughter Ray had known. He sighed heavily.

"Mum knows I'm coming. I called her from Wes' house."

"Good." Ray paused.

"Uncle Ray?"

"Yes luv." Ray overtook a cyclist.

"Did she tell you I am not going to go to Uni."

"What? No. You've got brains, like yer Mam. You have to use them. Not to would be criminal."

"Well, not going to uni doesn't mean I wont be using my brains. All Mum said was we will discuss this once you've done your GCSEs. I know what I want to do. And how can I bugger off to the other end of the country in two years time when Mum and Dad keep getting into scrapes? Its not about me. Its about Ruby and Max too. Phyllis isn't getting any younger, its not fair the kids get dumped on her all the time. You know she retires after Christmas?"

"No I didn't know that." Ray paused. "Does Gene know?"

"I was going to tell him but then this happened." She sighed. "I ask them to be careful."

"I wonder sometimes, who's the adult. You or them." Ray laughed.

"Me too." Molly sighed. "Me too."

"So? Whats the plan then?"

"Police."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Its dangerous."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Molly Drake!"

"Well, I know you the job. Its dangerous but it matters. I can do this. I am not stupid. Plus, I could be a dog handler or go into something like Armed Police. I don't have to be CID. And it takes ages to join CID anyway. Look how long it took Shaz."

"You've been looking into this."

"Yeah. What did Wes say?" He knew her boyfriend and best friend since nursery school would have something to say.

"He wont stop me. He wants to go in the Army but don't tell his Dad. He hasn't told him yet."

Ray smiled slightly proud that somehow, over the years he had become Uncle Ray, confident of the younger Drake and Wes Carter. Considering he had always thought he didn't like kids it had become a bit of a surprise, even to him. He glanced in his rear view mirror frowning slightly as he did.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah." Ray lied. "Yeah, course."

"Uncle Ray."

"If its ok with you, I think we will go the long way to the hospital."

"Course." Molly frowned. She knew well enough that she had to keep quiet and let Ray think but she knew something was wrong.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alex squeezed Gene's hand as the nurse and porters approached them. He lay motionless in the bed as the nurse explained that they were going to take Gene for a brain scan. She nodded once before kissing his forehead and letting the nurse take him away. Deciding that there was little point in staying in the Intensive Care Unit to wait she headed towards the hospital canteen in search of coffee and a decent phone signal. She hadn't realised how tired she was until Gene had been taken from the Unit. Fighting a yawn she froze as she realised who was walking towards her.

"DI Hunt."

"Sir." Her voice was laced with distain.

"How is Gene?"

"Alive."

"Good." Mac smiled. "I think you and I need to talk."

Alex glared. She had never liked the senior officer and had never made a secret of it. She had known both Ray and Gene had thought him to be above reproach until recently. Glaring at the man she kept quiet, aware that the barely concealed gun would hit her at point blank range if he chose to pull the trigger. A moment later he was marching her out of the hospital. Suddenly all thoughts of tiredness and coffee had gone from her mind, she had to stop Mac from taking her - her life and she believed Gene's depended on it.

xxxxxxx


	12. Chapter 12

Talk?

Alex glared as she reached the car park. It had never really been a secret that Mack didn't like her. He had always made it known that if he had been on the transfer panel years earlier there was no way she would have been transferred from Vice. Now she reasoned it was because he knew she and Sam would work out that he was a bent copper. The gun in her ribs made her think she was right.

"Over here."

"What are you doing? This is ridiculous." Alex hissed as he pulled her tighter to him, knowing the nurses walking past would assume that they were just a normal couple. She knew drawing attention to them would only result in people getting hurt. Looking out over the hospital car park she prayed that Ray would be delayed. Molly had seen her hurt in the past, the last thing she wanted was for it to happen again - there was no way in telling what damage it had done to her daughter's mental health over the years but now was not the time to think of that. She had to get away from Mack and back to Gene. He needed her.

"The car."

"Look, it isn't just me." Alex turned, pulling her arm away from him. "Gene gets hurt in a random car accident? I go missing. You think its just us you have to worry about? Really? Sir, in all honesty I thought you would know better."

"Oh I am aware of the situation." He smirked, his dark eyes boring into hers as she shoved both hands in the pocket of her oversized denim jacket. "I am aware that your colleagues, friends are worried. And if I were them I would be too. Sad situation. A young family like yours losing both parents. Ruby and Molly are such daddy's girls, then your young boy. Max isn't it? Maxwell Eugene Hunt. Growing up with just a vague memory of his parents."

"You touch my kids." Alex hissed, the anger and fear in her gut ready to spill out.

"Fifteen, nearly sixteen, six and three. You think Ruby will remember much? I mean its a young age. She might not remember things." He glared. "By things, of course I mean you."

The punch in his gut as tyres squealed knocked him off balance. Alex whirled round, ready to run to whoever had arrived.

"SHAZ!"

"Ma'am." Shaz smiled slightly. "Get in."

Alex jumped in the passenger seat as Shaz pushed her foot to the accelerator.

"Defensive driving course the Guv sent me on came in useful after all." Shaz glared as Alex fought to put her seatbelt on. "Are you ok, Ma'am?"

"Yeah." Alex nodded, breathless. "I need to get to Gene. He's going to kill him."

"Around the front of the 'ospital it is then." Shaz swung the car out of the carpark towards the wing of the hospital that housed the Intensive Care Unit.

"Ray was bringing Molly."

"I know. He was being followed so they are taking the scenic route. I was coming to warn you. Something Viv said about not trusting the radio. Not all the comms have been going through. Messages being misheard or not getting passed to the right officer. I didn't want to risk it."

"How many speeding cameras did you hit?"

"Me Ma'am? None Ma'am." Shaz pretended to look offended but Alex knew the younger woman well enough to know she was more angry at their senior officer than anything her immediate superior could have said.

"He was talking about murdering us both. Leaving the children orphaned."

"Well, that ain't going to 'appen. Ma'am. It just ain't."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Annie sat in the car with her laptop open on her knee. The wifi signal was poor but it was just enough to see what she wanted to. There was no way she was going to use the computer in the police station. Too many people would automatically side with Mack, wanting to see that he had nothing to do with the state her friend and boss was in. She knew different. A young woman was dead, had died in Gene's arms after an apparently random shooting. A police officer, a man that she had known and liked had been killed. And what was worse, discredited. His reputation, the only thing he had left after his death had been ruined. By Mack. Now she was on the verge of losing her friend. There was no way they would function as a team without Gene. Sam and Alex would no doubt be asked to step up temporarily - it was protocol when a DCI was no longer able to work due to sickness or. She didn't want to think what the 'or' was. She closed her eyes. It wouldn't happen. She wouldn't want Mack to have the satisfaction. She knew the rest of the team would fight to keep the team together but she knew Mack would have them disbanded.

"Sam?"

"Back there."

"He's going after all of us by singling out Gene. He's the head of the team. The Manc Lion as everyone called him when we got here."

"Gene Genie." Sam rolled his eyes, thinking of the David Bowie song his friend often quoted. "Yeah?"

"So." She paused. "Gene is the face of the unit. His reputation as being the big hard man preceded him. You and Alex are the brains. You are the ones that keep him not so much in line but usually working within the system. Shaz, Chris, Ray and me are the muscle. The instinct."

"The heart." Sam took her hand. "You are the heart of the team. You were in Manchester, and you are here. "

"Sam."

"I mean it." He took her hand as she looked up. "You are not to put yourself in any more danger than you have already. Gene was targeted. Sally was killed because she was going to tell us something. He knew that. He knows you are my wife, Alex's best friend. That Shaz and the lads think the world of you. Annie, luv. He knows us, he knows the team. If he has any sense its you that he will go after next."

Annie swallowed hard, knowing that she was not going to take a step back. Sam sighed, gently brushing away a tear that had escaped. "Sam."

"We can do this." She handed him the laptop. "Look."

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	13. Chapter 13

Sense and Sensibility?

Shaz slammed the brakes on as they reached the main entrance of the hospital. In seconds both her and Alex were running through the corridors of the hospital headed towards the Intensive Care Unit. Hospital staff yelled but Shaz waved her Warrant Card as they flew past them.

"Its a locked unit. People can't just walk in." She reasoned as Alex and her reached the ward.

"True." Alex stopped, pressing the buzzer to alert the nurses someone wanted to access the Unit. "But since when did that stop Mack? He's dirty, he wants me and Gene dead and he is not going to stop until he has his way."

Shaz raised an eyebrow, rushing through the doors as she realised what Alex had said was true. Forcing herself to stay calm she slipped a scalpel from a dressing trolley someone had laid out ready for a treatment and slipped it into her jacket pocket, hating herself for doing so but knowing she might need it. Alex was one step ahead, at Gene's side as the nurse turned to face her.

"Oh, I thought you had left."

"He was going for a scan. I went to phone our friends." Alex explained. "Our daughter was going to visit."

"I see." The Irish nurse smiled.

"Has anyone else been?" Shaz asked. "When we weren't 'ere?"

"Oh no. I came on duty at 7. No one else has been in." She smiled, allowing the two younger women to sit with Gene. Alex seemed to deflate slightly as she realised that Mack hadn't got to her comatose husband. All she could do now was pray Gene was left in peace to recover. Shaz looked at Gene in shock. Her boss, the larger than life Mancunian who had a way of intimidating even the worst criminals they came across was still and quiet, being kept alive by machines. She bit her lip, realising for the first time that the Manc Lion probably wasn't as frightening as she had once thought.

xxxxxxx

"Molly ok?" Annie asked as Sam walked back into the living room. She had spend the last few hours on the computer, going through the files she had found. Sam nodded.

"Ray took her back to Phyllis. Her and Viv have the children tonight. They know not to let anyone in. Six kids, one a teenager. I don't envy them. I think we got the best deal." He sighed as he sat on the sofa next to her. Annie rolled her eyes. Phyllis adored the children and she knew Viv and her were close.

"Five children."

"Eh?"

"You said six. Molly, Ruby, Max, Daniel, Tommy." She recited the names of her son, Alex and Gene's young children and Ray and Maya's son. "There are five."

"Viv's niece, Joanna is there tonight too. Danny's kid sister." Sam explained. He knew Gene still felt guilty that he hadn't been able to save Danny from Layton all those years earlier. The young man's death had almost been the end of Viv's career as a police officer. It was not a time any of the team felt good about. Annie shrugged.

"So, now what? I have enough evidence to sink him but."

"We have to use it." Sam paused. "Ray is on the way here with Chris. Shaz is at the hospital with Alex. Apparently something happened earlier and she wants to stay with her."

Annie's eyes shot to his. "The car accident. It wasn't meant to kill Gene. It was meant to kill Alex. Everyone knows Gene drives like an idiot at times."

"He knows what he is doing." Sam paused. "It just feels like you are being driven to meet your maker."

Annie smiled slightly, knowing that Sam would always defend his best friend. She nodded.

"You know that and I know that. What if, the accident was supposed to kill Alex? Have Gene driven mad with grief and guilt?" She looked up as Sam frowned before heading to let Chris and Ray into their house. Both men looked as angry as she felt.

"Could be." Ray nodded. "You have copies of all that?"

"Yeah." Annie looked at her friend. "What are you not telling us? Ray?"

Ray sighed, looking at the floor for a moment.

"You aint going to like it."

"I don't like anything that has happened recently. Why do you think this would be any different?"

"I was followed. When I had Molly with me." He knew they were aware of what had happened. "I think I am going mad, I probably am."

"Nowt new there." Chris watched as Ray huffed.

"Go on, Ray."

"I think I know who was following us. I am sure I know who it was. I didn't recognise the car but the driver."

"Ray." Sam snapped.

"Litton. I am pretty sure it was Litton driving. I think we have more than one senior copper on the take. I think this is more than just Mack and his corruption. I think its targeted at us and we seriously have to stop them. Annie, luv. I know you got some stuff but its time to use it. I spoke to Shaz. Mack tried to abduct our Alex today. If she hadn't got there when she did." He looked away, not wanting to finish his sentence. Annie nodded.

"He's right." Annie paused. "Its time we finished this before anyone else gets hurt."

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	14. Chapter 14

Direct Action?

Ray looked over at Annie as she glared at the computer in front of her. She knew he was expecting her to say something. He and Sam were both watching her. She knew what she was about to propose was dangerous but if Litton was driving the car that had followed Ray and Molly the corruption went deeper than they had thought. She sighed.

"We put it on the internet."

"What?" Ray knew little about computers, his only use of them outside of work being a few dating sites he had used before he had settled down with Maya. "Put those files on the internet? What? Like Facebook?"

"Yeah." Annie watched as Sam's eyes grew wider.

"God, I wish the Guv was 'ere." Ray tugged at his collar. He knew the Guv would know what to do. He had no idea whether antagonising Supermac more was wise. "He'd have our guts for garters."

"He's planning on that anyway." Annie spoke firmly. "You know that."

"True." Sam began pacing the living room. "Ray, call Chris and Shaz. Check Alex is ok." He paused. "Don't tell her what we are doing. There has to be a way of doing this without it coming back to us."

"Weir Road." Annie looked over at her husband. "Internet café on the corner of Weir Road. Not many people go in there these days, but you can get a decent cuppa and access to the internet. I'll upload it there. Not on the socials on the Police intranet."

"No." Sam snapped. "Too dangerous. Litton is clearly doing his dirty work."

"So? You got a better idea?" Ray asked as he pulled his mobile phone from his jacket. "This psycho is a copper. He's trying to ruin us. Almost killed the Guv. Almost had me and young Molly in 'ospital an all. He thinks we have something on him e is not going to stop coming after us."

"Exactly." Annie looked at Sam. "And for once I am fed up with being scared. I am not going to sit here and do nothing. I can't. Not when people are in danger. We CAN'T go to Internal Affairs. You know that. If they play dirty then so do we."

"Sam?"

Sam nodded. "Ok, but upload it from here. It'll leave a trace. I know that but then if something happens to any of us it turns the spotlight back on them."

Annie nodded, pressing a few keys on the laptop she put the files online. Biting her lip she looked up to see her husband look as scared as she was.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Shaz stepped back as the porters wheeled Gene on his bed back into the bed space he had occupied since arriving in the ITU. Alex smiled a little, wondering what her belligerent and often bullish husband was dreaming of. The nurses started plugging machines back into the base around the bed. Gene's left hand twitched slightly as machines began bleeping. The nurse ushered Alex and Shaz out of the room as Gene's body seemed to convulse on the bed.

"Come on, Gene." Alex whispered. "Come back."

The machines bleeped and alarmed as Alex looked through the small window in the doorframe. She felt Shaz squeeze her arm as they watched the nurses draw the curtains around the bed. The machine bleeped loudly, a shrill noise filling the room as Alex sank to the floor in tears.


	15. Chapter 15

Forever?

Alex felt herself shake as Shaz wrapped her arms around her. She knew Gene would never leave her unless he had no choice. She knew that his injuries had been horrendous but somewhere in the back of her mind she had believed that, like everything else he had beaten this would have the same outcome. Her Gene, the Manc Lion, the Gene Genie would win. He always did, somehow. They always managed to come through whatever catastrophe that hit them - from his violent childhood, her horrific divorce, car crashes, shooting, Layton and everything else that had been thrown at them they stayed together. She had never once thought that SuperMac would be the one to end it. That Gene would let him win. She felt Shaz tighten her hold on her.

"You need to stand up, Ma'am." Shaz spoke quietly. Alex didn't seem to register the words but felt Shaz try to almost lift her. "Sam is on the way."

"I."

"C'mon." Shaz half dragged her to the plastic chair at the side of the door. "Let them Docs and nurses to what they do, eh? They know what they are doing."

Alex nodded, but her eyes stayed firmly on the door of the ITU, knowing that she was facing the very real prospect of not having Gene in her lift anymore. She had no idea how or if she would go on but she knew she had to. Molly, Ruby and Max needed her. They needed _them _but if that wasn't to be then she would have to go on, somehow. She shook slightly as she heard Sam's voice in the distance with Annie and Ray.

xxxxxxxx

"He had some sort of fit." Shaz shrugged as Annie stepped past her and headed for her best friend. Alex and Annie were closer than most sisters she knew but Shaz's heart broke a little when she looked back at her friends. "We were told to leave. I think his heart might have stopped."

Ray swore under his breath as she explained what had happened, while Sam looked as if she had punched him in the gut. "If, if."

"This is the Guv we are talking about." Chris arrived, trying to put a happier spin on things. "Our Guv."

"Who, despite his own publicity is human." Sam snapped as Ray resisted the urge to punch the wall. He looked at both younger men, feeling slightly sick at what he had heard.

"Yeah, well." Ray agreed. "So is Litton and so is Mack. I reckon, any time now what we put on the Net is going to be picked up on. I'm going to call Maya, see if she has heard anything from her boss. If Litton is dirty and I would bet me pension on him being involved in this up to his neck then I reckon she will av heard something by now." He stepped away as Shaz frowned slightly.

"What did you put online?"

"Stuff." Sam answered as he ran a hand over his face. "Just some stuff."

Shaz nodded, "And this stuff?"

"Would blow Fenchurch apart - well the police anyway. Its evidence. Everything we have on Sally's murder, the nightclub in Soho, the deliberate and systematic dismantling of a good copper's reputation after his murder was staged as a suicide, the character assassination of CID officers and the attempts on the lives of two senior detectives." Sam explained as Shaz's eyes widenend

"OK, so not much then."

"No." Sam smiled slightly. "Not much."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The lights were too bloody bright. His eyes hurt and he had no idea what the bleedin' ell was happening to him. He wanted to see Bolls. That was all, to know her and the kids were ok. Then he could work out what had happened to him. It was only a cool hand on his bare arm that made him calm a little, resist the urge to throw himself off the bed.

"You're in hospital, Gene. Its ok." A soft welsh accent caught his attention. "I'm Gwen, one of the nurses here. Its ok. You're ok."

"Bolls."

"Charming." Gwen smiled.

"No, me wife. Alex, Bolly."

"Is outside with a friend of hers. Young girl with dark hair."

Gene frowned, his brain still not functioning as he tried to make sense of the world he had just woken up in. "Sharon."

"Could be." He closed his eyes once more. "The doctor is talking to her now. Just rest, its ok. You've given us a right old scare but you're ok now. Just rest."

"Aye." Gene closed his eyes, intending to only be quiet for a moment. He had to see Alex, it felt like he hadn't seen her for years. Before he knew what was happening he was sleeping soundly.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Ah Mrs Hunt?" A doctor around the same age as Chris approached her and Annie while Sam and the others hung back slightly. Annie held Alex's hand, knowing that whatever the doctor was about to say it was serious. It had the implications to change all their lives, but none more than Alex's.

"Yes." Alex nodded.

"I think we should step into the office. If you." He made to usher her away but Alex was determined she was staying where she was.

"Tell me. If my husband. If Gene is. If." She could barely say the words. "Gone. Tell me here."

"He's had a seizure, but came out of it well. Common in patients who have had a serious head injury. Last I saw him he was very much alive, his bloods had stabilised and we managed to successfully remove his life support. If you would like to see him."

"Alive." Alex looked at Annie who had tears in her eyes.

"Yes, Mrs Hunt. Gene is alive."

She followed the doctor into the room as Annie practically ran to Sam and the others to tell them the good news. Ray nodded, relief filling his eyes. He pointed for Chris to sit in a chair one side of the ITU entrance. "You, sunshine are standing guard with me. If anything else 'appens we are going to be 'ere. Viv reckons all Hell has broken loose in the Nick. I've already been followed once today."

"And Mac was 'ere. When I got 'ere he was trying to abduct Ma'am." Shaz folded her arms. "I ain't leaving."

Sam and Annie exchanged glances. It really did seem that the air had changed. Whatever SuperMac and his croanies were planning the files being published online had brought it to a head. Sam just hoped they could survive the oncoming storm.


	16. Chapter 16

**_A month later ..._**

Gene closed his eyes as he sat at his desk. He had thought there was a time when he would never see the inside of Fenchurch East nick again. He knew Sam and Annie had blown the whole thing up in Supermac's face and he had to admit Annie Tyler was tougher than all of them put together, then there was Ray who had risked his own life to make sure Molly was ok and young Shaz, who was now an integral part of the team. He knew Alex would probably have been murdered if she hadn't been there when he couldn't be.

"Guv?" He looked up to see Sam stood in the doorway of his office. "You alright?"

"No, Ethel. I'm half left."

Sam rolled his eyes before stepping into the office, closing the door behind him. He knew the patriach of the team was still adjusting to all the changes. When the fallout of the files going on line had started Gene had been recovering in hospital, the team had done all they could to protect him from the fallout. Gene nodded for Sam to sit in the chair opposite the desk.

"Sam."

"Yeah?"

"Just had the head of the Met on the phone."

"Yeah."

"CPS and Internal Affairs are going after Supermac. Want statements off us all. Says we should all have bloody medals." Gene shook his head. "Pay us decent wages I said would be more appropriate, but you know the bigwigs. All reckon they can pat us on the head and think we will go back in our boxes."

"You sound bitter." Sam paused. "He's on remand. He's lost his job and there are going to be proper murder investigations. Proper enquiries into Sally's death and the cover up for the others. Its a good thing."

Gene shook his head. "No, Sam. It'll be given lip service. It'll be done to save face, but none of them really want the truth. That's too messy. Knowing a senior officer tried to bully, discredit and murder two officers to have his other crimes covered up? Nah, they aren't going to want that broadcasting." He put his feet on the edge of the desk, the metal on the cowboy boots clanking together as he moved. Sam sighed.

"So? How do you know all this?"

"Supermac never made it to the prison." Gene's eyes narrowed as he thought of the man he had once respected. Sam frowned.

"What do you mean? E never made it to the prison?"

"Dead Sam. He's dead. Found him an hour ago. So, now he goes to the 'ereafter without answering for what he did." Gene hissed. "So, no trial, no being made to see what he did was wrong, no justice for Sally or anyone else!" He snapped. Sam ran a hand over his face. Neither of them had realised Alex had joined them. She stuck her hands in her jean pockets as Gene looked up. "Bolly."

"So? He's dead. But we stopped him hurting anyone else. And there will be more arrests and more inquiries. And, we will have justice for Sally because it wasn't just him, was it?" She looked from one to the other. "It's over for Supermac but those who covered for him and helped him still have to answer a lot of questions." The trio looked out of the office door as Ray and Chris both moved from their desks to see what the commotion was in the corridor outside CID. Annie sipped her tea as Shaz remained rooted to her chair.

"Its over, Gene. It really is. DCI Litton has just been arrested." Alex turned back to them. "Its over."

"Aye." Gene walked out into the main CID office. "The battle maybe, but the war? Nah, that's just started." He ran his eyes over the room, appraising his team. He knew then that whatever the Inquiry said, whatever came next they were ready.


End file.
